


What You Want Isn't Always What You Get

by SoManyFandoms



Category: Moonlight (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 17:00:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10575618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoManyFandoms/pseuds/SoManyFandoms
Summary: Beth wants Mick to turn her.Mick doesn't want to turn her.Josef is the sympathetic ear and voice of reason.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written in February 2012. Amazing how many errors you can pick up if you reread.
> 
> A lot of dialogue in this fic, not many long sentences.

“I can't.”

“Please Mick. I love you and want to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“I love you too Beth, and I also want to spend the rest of our lives together, but not by turning you.”

“Mick, think about it.”

“No.”

“Mick!”

“No!”

 

The knocking happened again.

“Alright, alright, hold your Freshies”, Josef mumbled as he shuffled down the hallway. Who in the world visited at 10 in the morning? Ah, there was his answer.

“Do you know what time it is?” Mick looked suitably scolded.

“Sorry. Were you sleeping?”

“As any self-respecting vampire would be at this hour.” Josef smiled at the snort that got. “Would you like to come in?”

Mick closed the door and followed Josef down the hallway into the lounge room.

“Take a seat. Can I get you a drink?”

“Alcohol or blood?”

“This late? Blood of course, bagged as well.”

“Yes please.”

Once the drinks had been poured and both vampires were sitting on the couch, there was silence for a few minutes.

“Beth wants me to turn her.”

“What did you say?”

“No. I love her, but I'm not going to condemn her to being a vampire for eternity.”

“You walked out?”

“And slammed the door, I think.”

“I've got a spare freezer if you want it.”

“You don't mind?”

“Not at all. You're a brother to me Mick.”

“Just don't give me a noogie.”

 

Josef cursed the visitor on the other side of the door who had decided that disturbing him during his 'morning' meal of a Freshie was a good idea.

“Hi Beth.”

“Hi Josef. Where's Mick?”

“Here.”

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

“Can I see him?”

“No.”

“Can you ask him to come out here and see me?”

“No.”

“Why not Josef?”

“Because he doesn't want to see you at the moment, Beth. Leave him be and let the time you have be long enough.”

“But that's just it, we can have eternity if he turns me.”

“He would have to live with knowing he turned you into what he despises. He does not want that for you.”

“Love will help him see he did the best thing.”

“Love is helping him see the best thing now.”

He shut the door in her face.

 

He stood silently in the doorway watching his friend get a massage from the second Freshie, while his Freshie watched.

“Enjoying yourself?”

“Mmm.”

Sitting down, Josef drew his Freshie back in and picked up her arm, smiling at her. Beside him, Mick seemed to sink further into the cushions.

“Who was that?”

“Delivery woman, got more of that bagged stuff you like.”

 

Mick was on a case. A young woman had disappeared from a secluded and popular place for teens to get together with their dates and pass the bases. The boyfriend had a head wound and claimed he'd been hit by their attacker and that the girl had been taken.

Unfortunately, that wasn't true. The head wound was from a branch the girl had hit him with in defence. He had killed her after hearing she had slept with other guys. That wasn't true either, just the rumour mill of jealous high school students. Mick could smell that she had never touched another guy in that way. He carefully filled the leafy grave back in and walked away.

“Mick.”

“Beth.”

“On a case?”

“Yes.”

“That missing girl whose boyfriend had a head wound?”

Mick didn't answer, and Beth could feel his eyes asking what she wanted, why she was here.

“Can we go somewhere more private?”

“No, Beth. What do you want.”

“You know.”

“I do, and you know the answer.”

“But Mick, I love you! You love me, and I want to spend eternity with you!”

“No, Beth.”

“Why Mick?” Her feet crunched on the leaves; his made barely a sound.

“Because I said so.”

“Why?”

His eyes were on her then, the deepest part of the ocean where people died and their bodies were never recovered, and the anger of the sea in a storm.

“Because being a vampire is not all moonlight and endless parties. It's watching loved ones die, moving from place to place because people start to wonder why you're not looking any older, and knowing the worst of both worlds. Humans can change. Now, vampires,” Mick smiled, and the temperature turned freezer like, “once they go bad, there is no hope.”

He ran, leaving no sound but the rustling leaves and Beth calling his name.

 

One more glass of whiskey before bed, Josef thought. Amassing a fortune and keeping it could be a headache.

There was a shape on his couch. It didn't frighten him because he could smell it was Mick, who had been digging in a forest and been around old blood, but it did surprise him that the other vampire was sleeping on his couch. He must have run into Beth.

“Mick.” Josef shook his friend's shoulder lightly and thanked vampire senses that Mick simply opened his eyes instead of rearing up with teeth bared.

“What time is it?”

“4am. What are you doing sleeping on the couch? There is a perfectly good freezer upstairs.”

Mick yawned and rubbed his eyes, then groaned.

“Sorry, I think I've got dirt on your couch.”

“Doesn't matter, cleaning lady will get that. Come on.” He helped Mick stand. “Want some whiskey?”

“No thanks. Think I'll go and take a shower.”

“Raid my wardrobe if you need.”

“Thanks. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

The shower stopped as Josef finished his whiskey, and as he walked upstairs he could smell his scent and Mick's intermingled. He looked in on Mick before going to his own freezer to make sure he got there.

 

“That's a bit abrupt, Josef.”

“I have no time for niceties, Beth.”

“Can I see Mick?”

“No.”

“Would you please be able to tell him that I wish to see him at his apartment tomorrow night, say about 10?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to spend what little time I have left with him, and right now time is wasting.”

“I'll let him know.”

 

“Was that Beth?” Mick asked as Josef sat on the couch next to him.

“Yes. She wanted me to pass on a message.”

“It's not about turning her is it?”

“No.”

“What's the message?”

“She wants to see you at your apartment tomorrow night. Said that she wants to spend what little time she has left with you.”

There was silence for a few minutes until Mick spoke again, looking at Josef.

“Can I stay here again?”

“Whenever you need, Mick. Let yourself in.”

 

Mick wiped the blood from around his mouth as the knocking started.

“Coming!” He rinsed his glass and looked at the clock. 10:05pm. Beth was standing outside the door.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Can I come in?” Mick smiled and left the door open.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Water would be fine.”

Beth sat down on the couch and watched Mick as he filled two glasses with water.

“Thanks. No blood?”

“Finished one as you arrived.”

Beth took a sip of water then put down her glass, gathering herself.

“Mick, I'm sorry I kept asking you to turn me. I shouldn't have badgered you. It's easy for me to say that I want you to turn me, but I didn't think about your feelings. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however short that could be.”

“Beth, I also want to spend whatever time we have left together. You know my feelings about my turning and being a vampire, and I am glad you won't ask anymore.”

Beth smiled, and Mick smiled back. They slowly met in the middle.

 

The funeral is well attended. Mourners fill the pews and the church glows with the sound of song.

Her casket is made of light coloured wood with a wreath of pink roses resting on top. Six males, family and close friends, carry the casket to the hearse. Everyone puts a few petals onto the coffin and watch the hearse leave with the family car following it.

At the graveside a few words are spoken, first by a priest and then family members. The casket is lowered and more pink petals left to drift down.

Nobody notices the two figures standing under a tree. No one sees a handkerchief passed from one to the other, or the taller being led away by his friend.

No one noticing doesn't mean it didn't happen though.

 

Again with the requests for paperwork! Josef cursed his filing system and dove into another drawer, finding none of what he wanted, but his fingers did touch something at the bottom.

A photo frame. A photo of Beth, taken by Mick after that kiss on the couch. Beth was laughing, looking happy.

Josef remembered the reason for the photo well, and how afterwards Beth had thanked him privately for being frank with her, not sugarcoating anything about how Mick felt. He had played down his part in the proceedings, all while she smiled.

She had given him the photo in the frame later, an absolute copy of Mick's beside the colour of the frame,.'Thank You' was written on the back and a letter tucked between the photo and the backing.

Smiling, Josef set it on his bedside table and continued rummaging.


End file.
